It just doesn’t seem like FIFTY years ago, yet here we are. It’s the anniversary of an event that became one of the most notable in meteorological history. I was in my final year as a Meteorology student at the SUNY-Oswego. Fortunately, we were too far east to experience the incredible fury of destruction which occurred from the southern U.S. to the Great Lakes and even into Canada.
Overview
The event became known as the “Super Outbreak”. Tornadoes affected 13 U.S. states from the Deep South to the Great Lakes. From the morning of April 3, 1974, to the morning of April 4th, an incredible 148 tornadoes were recorded. THIRTY of them were rated F4 or F5 on the Fujita scale. In addition to incomprehensible destruction, 335 people lost their lives and over 6,000 were injured.
A photo showing a tornado which touched down near Bridgeton, Ohio, on April 3, 1974. Image Credit- NOAA-Public Domain.
The Fujita Scale (below) rates tornado intensity based mainly on the damage that tornadoes inflict to structures and vegetation. The table shows the number and rating to tornadoes during this “Super Outbreak”.
Meteorological Conditions
To experience an event of this magnitude, various atmospheric conditions must come together just right. On the morning of April 3rd, 1974, a deep trough (dip in the jet stream) extended from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi Valley. Several atmospheric disturbances aloft rotated around the base of the trough. These conditions led to the genesis of a low-pressure over Kansas and it moved to the northeast and it strengthened in a hurry. Winds aloft increased and that swept up ample warmth and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. The warm front which extended eastward from the low moved quickly northward toward the Ohio River Valley.
A surface weather map from the morning of April 3rd, 1974. Map Credit – National Meteorological Center
To complicate matters, a cluster of thunderstorms (MCS) had developed overnight and they continued to grow stronger due to the favorable atmospheric environment. This system developed into thunderstorm several bands which triggered the first tornadoes. There were also other factors that I won’t get into here or we’ll have a long meteorological discussion.
It was a day of utter horror from late morning and into the night, especially in states like Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Alabama. We’ll look at examples from each state.
Xenia, Ohio
The most famous of the tornadoes from that day ravaged Xenia, Ohio, probably because it drew the most media attention. Certainly, it was the most deadly of the outbreak as 32 people died and much of the town was destroyed. Since the tornado hit after 4:30, school had already been dismissed so the timing probably saved many lives.
The tornado that struck Xenia formed southwest of the town and it moved to the northeast at about 50 mph. It was a large tornado that intensified rapidly (to an F5) ! The tornado flattened the west side of Xenia, especially the subdivisions of Windsor Park and Arrowhead. Debris was swept far away from where the tornado originally hit.
When it was over, the Xenia resembled a war zone. Numerous buildings, homes, churches, and schools were destroyed. In addition to the deaths, over 1,100 were injured. About half of the buildings in town suffered extensive damage or they were destroyed. Damage was estimated at 100 million dollars (over 600 million in 2024 dollars)!
A photo of the highly destructive and deadly tornado that struck Xenia, Ohio, on April 3,1974. Photo Credit-NWS-Public Domain.
Brandenburg, Kentucky
Another one of the worst tornadoes during this event slammed into Brandenburg, Kentucky. It became known as the “Brandenburg Tornado”. The tornado initially touched down just north of Hardinsdburg. The tornado rapidly intensified as it swept through Meade County it made a direct hit on Brandenburg. The downtown was destroyed. Damage was catastrophic and most of the town was reduced to rubble. vehicles were tossed hundreds of yards and grass was stripped from the ground. Trees were debarked and homes were completely crushed. Canceled checks from the town were later found in Ohio!
The Brandenburg tornado was also classified as an (F5). The tornado was on the ground for 32 miles! The tornado was responsible for 32 deaths and 257 injuries.
A photo shows incredible tornado damage near Brandenburg, Kentucky on Aril 4,1974. Photo Credit-NOAA-Public Domain.
Monticello, Indiana
During the late afternoon of April 3rd, a group of tornadoes moved from Illinois up to Michigan. Of this group, a long-track tornado reached an (F4) on the Fujita scale. The tornado moved across much of Indiana from the southwest to the northeast, a total of 121 miles.
The tornado formed in west-central Indiana (Warren County) and ended in La Grange County. The hardest hit was White County and the town of Monticello. much of the town was destroyed, That included the courthouse, churches, homes, businesses, and three schools. Several farms northwest of the town were also destroyed. The Penn Central Railroad bridge over the Tippecanoe River was severely damaged. The tornado resulted in 18 fatalities and, like Xenia, 100 million dollars in damages.
A photo showing exetnsive tornado damage to a church in Monticello, Indiana on April 3, 1974. Photo Credit-NWS-Public Domain.
Tanner, Alabama
The South was not spared from this catastrophic event. Destructive tornadoes blasted through several cities and towns in Alabama. This included the town of Tanner which, incredibly, was struck by two tornadoes. Unbelievably, BOTH of them were rated as F5)!
As tornadoes went on a rampage in the Ohio Valley by late afternoon, strong thunderstorms were developing rapidly from east of the Mississippi River to the Tennessee Valley as evening approached. A long track tornado touched down in Lawrence County, Alabama and it lasted for 90 minutes. The tornado killed 29 people in Madison County alone. Damage was incredible !
The tornado blasted into the community of Tanner where homes were obliterated quickly. vehicles were tossed around like sticks and vegetation was striped from trees and shrubbery. Rescue efforts began immediately with crews looking for survivors in destroyed structures. Some residents were relieved that the tornado had spared their life and property.
Any sighs of relief didn’t last long. In the same hour, Tenner was struck by another tornado. The track of this one was just far enough away from the first one that many structures that survived the first tornado were destroyed in the second one ! There was one man injured in a trailer park who was taken to a church an he was killed when that church collapsed in the second tornado. All told, there were 41 deaths and over 450 injuries with these tornadoes .
A view from the sky of homes and structures obliterated by the second Tanner, AL tornado on April 3, 1974. Photo Credit – NOAA-Public Domain.
There was one tornado as far north as Windsor, Ontario, (F3) and a number of tornadoes eastward into North Carolina. One was an (F4) near Murphy in the higher elevations.
Aftermath
Many Governors applied immediately for federal aid and declared large portions of their states disaster areas. This put a major strain on disaster relief funds and it prompted Congress to immediately address the issue.
The Disaster Relief Act of 1974 was composed by Congress and it was passed unanimously on April 10th. President Nixon signed the Act into law on May 22nd.
The purpose of the Act was to change the way that the Federal Government handled future major disasters and it made it easier for Governors to go through the process of receiving Federal Aid.
